10 interesting facts about presidential inaugurations

From the president whose death was blamed on his inauguration speech to a drunken appearance by a vice president, here are 10 interesting things to know about presidential inaugurations throughout history.

1. A president's death was blamed on his inauguration speech

William Henry Harrison had both the longest inauguration speech and shortest presidency. His death in 1841 was caused by pneumonia, which many believed he got because of the cold weather he gave the speech in -- at least until our understanding of science and medicine evolved. The 10,000-word, nearly two-hour-long speech was delivered in a snowstorm during which Harrison refused to wear an overcoat, hat or gloves, apparently because he wanted to keep up his reputation of being a tough war general.

2. Presidents of few words

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During George Washington's second presidential Inauguration in 1793, he delivered what remains in the record books as the shortest inauguration speech in history. It consisted of: "Fellow Citizens, I am again called upon by the voice of my country" and some other things that amounted to 135 words.

It only took two inaugurations for Washington to embrace brevity, but for Franklin D. Roosevelt, the magic number was four. Roosevelt, the only president to be inaugurated four times, delivered the second shortest speech at 557 words during the 1945 ceremony.

3. Presidents of great words

Of all the inauguration speeches, the most well-known quote may come from the speech given by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 following his first election to the presidency. The "only thing we have to fear is fear itself," were words FDR uttered during a speech characterized as "unusually solemn" for the president. The tone, however, was appropriate given the nation was deep in to the Great Depression.

The runner-up? We choose John F. Kennedy who, in 1961, said: "My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country."

In 1865, Lincoln's vice president-elect, Andrew Johnson was battling a cold and tried treating it with alcohol. According to the official Senate website, Johnson showed up hung over the morning of the inauguration and then preceded to down more whiskey before taking the stage. He was so obviously drunk that one senator was spotted covering his face while another official "tugged vainly at (his) coattails, trying to cut short his remarks."

"The Inauguration went off very well except that the Vice President Elect was too drunk to perform his duties & disgraced himself and the Senate by making a drunken foolish speech," wrote a Michigan senator in a letter to his wife.

5. The first president to wear pants and other random style notes

Thank goodness for the official presidential inauguration website, which gives us the details and groundbreaking styles of presidential attire throughout the history of inaugurations. For instance, John Quincy Adams in 1825 was the first U.S. president to wear pants -- ahem, long trousers, to be specific -- to an inauguration. What was in fashion before then? Knee breeches.

Also notable -- George Washington wore a suit made in America, but James Madison upped the ante a couple decades later by donning a wool suit that was "American grown, carded, woven, cut and sewed." That's patriotism, folks.

Winning the prize for least-uppity presidential attire is Thomas Jefferson, who was noted to have been wearing an outfit "of a plain citizen without any distinctive badge of office."

6. Presidential partiers and party poopers

The first American president, George Washington, also held the first inaugural ball in 1789, but the tradition didn't stick until the wife of James Madison hosted one in 1809 after a 20-year dry spell. Inaugural balls have been a main draw of the event since then, though there were some presidents who didn't want to partake in the official partying.

In 1853, Franklin Pierce became the first president to cancel the inaugural ball. He did so because he was mourning the recent death of his son.

Woodrow Wilson canceled the ball in 1913 because "he felt the ball was too expensive and unnecessary for the solemn occasion of the Inaugural." Warren Harding did the same in 1921 -- a private party was held instead. Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt hosted "charity balls" in place of the official one, which was revived by Harry Truman in 1949.

7. Congress has always bickered, frequently about really stupid stuff

James Monroe was the first to deliver his inaugural address outdoors in 1817, but only thanks to a feud between the Senate and House of Representatives. Of course, the politicians were fighting over something really dumb -- in this case, which chairs would be used.

Another big inaugural fight had a little more merit -- members of the House didn't actually get to play a role in inauguration planning until 1901. Apparently the event planning part was less of thing; House members were protesting in 1897 that Senators received twice as many tickets to the Inauguration as Representatives did. During the following Inauguration, a joint committee was formed to plan the big party and we assume everyone got the same amount of tickets.

8. Ronald Reagan must've had a hard time figuring out what to wear

In 1981, Ronald Reagan enjoyed the warmest presidential Inauguration day on record with a toasty 55 degrees. Mother nature got back at him for his second go-around, though -- when he was sworn in during 1985, it was the coldest day on record for an Inauguration. The high temperature was all of 7 degrees and the ceremony was moved inside.

9. Inaugural technology firsts: From the telegraph to the webstream

1845: A telegraph is used to cover the Inauguration of James Polk.

1857: We have pictures! James Buchanan's inauguration was the first known to be photographed.

1897: We have moving pictures! William McKinley was the first to have his inaugural ceremony recorded by a motion picture camera.

1925: Thanks to the invention of the radio, people could listen to Calvin Coolidge's swearing-in from their living rooms.

1929: You could see and hear Herbert Hoover's Inauguration thanks to the talking newsreel.

1949: Television finally arrives on scene, broadcasting the Inauguration of Harry Truman to living rooms in a way radio never could.

1961: Color television is sometimes credited for helping John F. Kennedy win the presidency, so it's fitting that Kennedy was the first to have his Inauguration broadcast in color, too.

1997: Bill Clinton was the first president to have his Inauguration streamed live online.

10. Equality firsts

1865: African-Americans participated in the inaugural parade for the first time during Abraham Lincoln's second Inauguration.